Railroad cross-tie.



w. H; J. DOWNEY.

RAILROAD GROSS TIE.

AIPLIGATIOI TILED JULY 13, 1910.

979,268. Patented Dec. 20, 1910.

WILLIAM H. J. DOWNEY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

RAILROAD CROSS-TIE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 20, 1910.

Application filed July 13, 1910. Serial No. 571,856.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM H. J. DOWNEY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Vilmington, in the county of Newcastle and State ofDelaware, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in RailroadCross-Ties; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters andfigures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to rail fastening devices and comprisesessentially a means consisting of cross ties adapted to receive andclamp rails and hold the same without the use of the usual spikes.

The invention consists further in the provision of a rail clampingdevice having intersecting ties with cushioning boxes upon which theflanges of the rails rest, allowing for expansion and contraction of themetal and saving wear upon the rolling stock and affording means wherebya train may run smoothly over a track equipped with my apparatus, theinvention forming a means for deadening noise incident to the rollingstock passing over the rails.

My invention comprises other details of construction and combinationsand arrangements of parts which will be hereinafter fully described andthen specifically defined in the appended claims.

I illustrate myvinvention in the accompanying drawings, in which 2-Figure 1 is a top plan view showing the application of my invention.Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the upper of one of the intersecting ties.Fig. 3 is a similar View of the lower tie, and Fig. 4 is a detail viewof the locking pin.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A, Adesignate the ordinary rails of a railway and B and i designaterespectively two ties adapted to intersect each other at their centrallongitudinal portions, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Each of saidties has enlarged portions adjacent to its ends which are provided withflanges and each is recessed, the opposite walls of the recess beingundercut as at K and inclined longitudinally, as

shown in solid lines in Fig. l of the drawings. Each of said recesseshas. formed beneath it a pocket L which is countersunken to receive abuffer G of any resilient compo sition, such as rubber, and upon whichthe flange of the ordinary railway rail is adapted to rest. At thepoint. of intersection of said ties, the tie 2' is provided with a bossor pintle H while the under surface of the superimposed tie is recessedas at J to receive said pin. Said tie i is provided with a hole Eadapted to receive the threaded end of the screw O, the other end of thescrew being beveled and engaging a hole F formed in the adjacent edge ofthe tie B. A nut D is mounted upon the threaded portion of said screwand adapted to bear against a shoulder formed upon the adjacent edge ofthe tie i.

In adjusting the parts for use, the two ties are pivoted together, andinserted underneath the railway rails, the latter being adjusted attheir proper gage the flanges of the rails are made to engage therecesses in the ties after which the latter are tilted slightly, inorder that the overhanging portions of the recesses, may engage over theflanges of the rails, and when thus adjusted, the pivotal pin connectingthe ties is fastened to hold the ties in their adjusted positions, thisbeing done material may be tamped under the ties to hold the samesecurely in place. As the rails rest upon the buffers, means is affordedfor cushioning the rails and allowing for expansion and contraction ofthe metal and absorbing vibration.

By the provision of rail fastening means as shown and described, it willbe noted that ordinary use of spikes commonly employed will be entirelydispensed with.

\Vhat I claim to be new is 1. A device for fastening railway railscomprising ties intersecting each other and pivoted together, said tiesbeing recessed to receive the flanges of railway rails, and means forholding the marginal edges of the recesses of the ties frictionallyagainst the flanges of the rails.

2. A device for fastening railway rails comprising ties intersectingeach other and pivoted together, said ties being recessed to receive theflanges of railway rails, cushions mounted in boxes formed in thebottoms of said. recesses upon which the rails are adapted to rest, andmeans for holding the marginal edges of the recesses frictionallyagainst the flanges of the rail.

3. A device for fastening railway rails comprising ties intersectingeach other and pivoted together, said ties being recessed to receive theflanges of railway rails, cushions mounted in boxes formed in thebottoms of said recesses upon which the rails are adapt-- ed to rest, ascrew engaging indentures in the adjacent edges of corresponding ends ofthe ties, and a nut fitted upon the threaded portion of the screw andadapted to bear against one of said ties to hold the opposite walls ofthe recesses frictionally against the edges of the flanges of the rails.

4. A device for fastening railway rails comprising tiesintersecting'each other and recessed upon their upper edges, a pintleprojecting from one of the ties and adapted to engage a hole in theother, forming a pivot, said recesses adapted to receive the flanges ofthe railway rails, a cushion in the bottom of each recess, and means forspreading the ties to cause the walls of the recesses to frictionallyengage the edges of the flange of the rails.

5. A device for fastening railway rails comprising ties intersectingeach other and pivoted together at their point of intersection, theupper surface of each tie being diagonally recessed, the opposite wallsof the recesses being undercut, a cushion in the bottom of each recess,a screw engaging indentures in the adjacent edges of corre sponding endsof the ties, a nut upon the threaded portion of the screw bearingagainstone of the ties and adapted to spread the ties to cause theundercut edges of the recesses to frictionally engage the opposite edgesof the flange of the rail.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence oftwo Witnesses.

WILLIAM H. J. DOW NEY.

Witnesses:

S. D. TOWNSEND, Jr., M. M. TONER.

